Tennessee Notary Acknowledgment Form

A Tennessee notary acknowledgment form is a legal document confirming a signatory has signed a legal document themselves and without pressure or coercion from another party. A notary public completes this form by first identifying the signing party to ensure they’re being truthful about their identity. They also ensure they signed the form for the specific purposes it states.

Then, the notary public adds their signature and seal of approval to the form, allowing the signatory to present their form to the necessary authority.

Is Online Notarization Legal in Tennessee?

Yes. Senate Bill 1758, which the Tennessee Senate passed in April 2022, allows for online notarization. The signatory must be in a notary’s presence via two-way video and audio communication, and the notary must conduct the task in the state.

Laws: Chapter 1360-07-03 (Online Notaries Public) and Chapter 16, Part 3 (Online Notary Public Act).

How to Notarize

Step 1 – Locate a Notary

Locate a notary online or in person. If you want to find a remote notary, visit sites like 123notary.com. Otherwise, you can find one at your local credit union or bank. First Horizon Bank (formerly First Tennessee Bank) and Regions Bank are major banks with a large presence in the state.

Step 2 – Prepare Your Document

Prepare the document you’d like for a notary public to notarize, whether it’s a promissory note, living will, or another document.

Step 3 – Prove Your Identity

If the notary public already knows you personally, they can attest to this fact. However, if they don’t know you personally, you must present satisfactory evidence to prove who you are. According to § 66-22-106, satisfactory evidence is either a form of government-issued identification or an oath from a witness who knows the officer.

Step 4 – Sign the Form

Sign the form in front of the notary public if you haven’t already. If it already has your signature because you signed it beforehand, verify that it’s your own.

How to Verify a Notary

1. Visit the Secretary of State’s website and click on their Notary Search tool.
2. Choose one filter to start your search. The filter options are “First Name,” “Last Name,” “ZIP Code,” “County,” “Status,” and “Online Notary.” Reset the filters if you want to start your search from scratch.
3. Review the matching results. Select a notary’s name to view more details.

How to Write (for Notary)

1. Download a notary acknowledgment form in PDF or Word format.
2. Input the following information:
   • The name of the person requesting the acknowledgment
   • The date (day, month, and year)
   • The county of acknowledgment
   • Whether the signer is signing as themselves or on behalf of an organization or another person
   • The document the notary is acknowledging (bill of sale, will, etc.)
3. Witness the signatory’s signature.
4. Sign your name as the notary and add your seal.